Superb Sake in a Subterranean Cave

This Sake Brewery produces high quality sake, aged in an underground storehouse in rural Tochigi

The Shimazaki Sake Brewery is located in the peaceful city of Nasukarasuyama in Tochigi, just north of Tokyo. The brewery has been producing various sake products since 1849, using the renowned local rice and water from the surrounding mountains' underground springs.

Visitors can tour the brewery’s unique aging storehouse—a 600-meter-long series of tunnels originally built near the end of World War II to construct combat vehicles. Some 100,000 bottles are stored in the cave, where brewers believe the steady 10°C temperature and absence of sunlight give the sake a deep and unique flavor unmatched by other aging processes. 

Advance reservations are required, and admission is free for visitors under 20 years old. If you’d like to purchase some sake to take home, consider applying for the limited-edition offerings like the New Year’s Bottle and Owner’s Bottle.

SHIMAZAKI SHUZO